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Supermarkets start quiet hour: barrier-free shopping for everyone!
In Landsberg am Lech, the CAP market supports the inclusive “Silent Hour,” which breaks down sensory barriers and offers neurodivergent people a better shopping experience.
Supermarkets start quiet hour: barrier-free shopping for everyone!
Things are becoming quieter in more and more German supermarkets: the concept of the “quiet hour” is gaining momentum and offers a valuable break for people with special needs. This initiative is intended to particularly help those who suffer from sensory overload, as is often the case with people with autism or ADHD. The aim is clear: by reducing sensory stimuli, supermarkets want to create a more harmonious shopping experience. Loud Ruhr24 The “Silent Hour” takes place once a week for at least one hour, during which all stimuli in the store are reduced to a minimum.
The measures during this hour are comprehensive: Dimming lights, no music, avoiding loudspeaker announcements and switching off active displays all contribute to calming. The staff also ensures that no goods are classified. This is all done to create a stress-free environment in which all customers can feel comfortable. 239 supermarkets are currently taking part in this ambitious project. On the website stille-hour.com Consumers can search for stores in their area that are participating in the “Quiet Hour”.
Participants and objectives
Supermarkets that are part of the project include E-Center in Glückstadt, Edeka in Menden and various REWE branches in North Rhine-Westphalia. Other facilities, such as IKEA in Saarlouis and leisure activities such as Christmas markets, also follow this model. This initiative came about in cooperation with Lebenshilfe Limburg Diez and various self-help groups to increase awareness of disabilities such as autism and ADHD. The “Silent Hour” not only aims to make shopping easier, but also to promote social recognition for neurodivergent people.
A central aspect is education about neurodivergent experiences and the need to break down sensory barriers. The idea for the “Quiet Hour” goes back to Theo Hogg, whose autistic child needed such a quiet period in the New Zealand supermarket “Countdown” to enable him to shop without fear. In this context, society is called upon to develop a better understanding of the needs of people with autism and ADHD, in particular to prevent sensory overload and its possible consequences.
Social challenges and changes
The sensory overload is not just a challenge for people with autism. Many other neurodivergent and impaired people are also affected by it, such as people with MS, depression or migraines. In order to meet different needs and reduce discrimination, five areas for social change are essential. This includes education in schools, adjustments to workplace conditions and comprehensive information in the healthcare system. The University of Hildesheim highlights that 28.38% of 430 university students surveyed identify as neurodivergent.
The need to better support these groups is clear: most of those affected do not feel adequately cared for in educational institutions and at work. While politics and business are called upon to break down barriers, it is also important to increase awareness among the general public. This is the only way to bring about social change that includes and recognizes people with different needs.
As the “Silent Hour” shows, something is happening! Now more than ever, it is time to break down barriers and deepen understanding of neurodivergent people so that respectful interaction and participation in social life are possible for everyone.